"David Nakamoto" wrote in message
news:B%Gne.124$mb2.110@trnddc07...
Ah, I missed that. Don't webmeisters know us older guys and gals like
larger lettering?! ^_^

One thing I did think of though, and that I don't see, where it mentions
if this camera can autoguide. If not, then you'll need either a very
expensive mount to limit PEC, or get a separate autoguider to correct
the tracking errors. Either way, for good deep sky images, this is
going to be a possible issue, especially if you go deeper and deeper.
It cannot autoguide. You need a seperate chip, or SLI type readout (and
this use is patented).
However the need for autoguiding is dependant on focal length. You can run
a DSLR, unguided on a reasonable mount, with say a 500mm focal length, and
good polar alignment, and take images for 20minutes+, with no problems.
Alternatively just guide with the scope you have it piggybacked on...

On the other hand, the camera's 5 frames per second mode might be useful
for planet and lunar imaging for use with stacking software to sharpen
the images, but the 23 frames limit means you'll have to press the
shutter often to get the couple of hundred images or so to successfully
stack with good results.

I wish they'd post the individual pixel sizes. Given the CMOS size, the
number of pixels, and allowing for spacing between the pixels (pixel
width 60% of available space) I figure pixels of 4 um horizontal.
Anyone got the specs on this?
Given it has microlenses, there is no effective 'gap' between the pixels.
The lenses serve to collect the light and feed it into the slightly
smaller real pixels below. This is the same system used on most current
colour cameras.

I still look at the specs for this camera, and see a camera that's
designed for dual roles, a general purpose camera and one that can be
used for deep sky. But this is a compromise, and I don't see this as
really affecting the sales of dedicated CCD cameras for Astronomy, which
can autoguide, and have better sensitivity and signal to noise ratios.
The key 'shortfalls' compared to existing colour astronomical cameras, are
the lack of cooling, and the reduced number of bits in the ADC.
It takes the existing Canon cameras, which are already great for some
types of astronomical imaging, and improves on the red response in
particular, which was normally rather limited by the inbuilt filters, but
it is only a small movement forward, not a 'great leap'.

Best Wishes